Feds: Blago Extorted Hospital Honcho

Guv planned to seek campaign cash in return for state funding
By Gabriel Winant,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 11, 2008 12:47 PM CST
Feds: Blago Extorted Hospital Honcho
Thomas Wiffler, CEO UnitedHealthcare Chicago, Kimberly Thormann, CMH APN, Bonnie Barnes, co-founder DAISY Foundation, Michelle Stephenson, CMH chief nurse executive, and Patrick Magoon, CMH CEO.   (Photo: Business Wire)

The Rod Blagojevich scandal extends beyond politics to medicine, the Chicago Tribune reports. He threatened to withhold $8 million in state funding for a pediatric health initiative unless the head of Children’s Memorial Hospital gave his campaign $50,000, according to the federal criminal complaint against the Illinois governor. "Children's Memorial is very disappointed" at being dragged into the story, the institution said in a statement. (More Rod Blagojevich stories.)

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